What has happened to my face??

[Fromwayupnorth]

Help! I've never really worried about what I look like and NEVER thought I'd consider cosmetic work. However I've just turned 57 and my whole face seems to have dropped overnight... is this a thing? I always thought I looked good for my age but now I suddenly have extreme sagging jowls, wobbling turkey neck and deep lines dragging down either side of my mouth. It looks horrendous and after 2 days of watching myself on zoom calls, I'm not sure i can bear to put my camera on again....it is not fair on me or others! Can any one empathize and offer me any help or suggestions? It is really bad and has happened so suddenly...

Yep, me! I’m a year younger than you, my skin has always been great, but in the last year I feel like I have aged 10 years. Can empathise but not help sorry.

Botox, Filler, cosmetic surgery. Those are your options.

Can I ask if you drink alcohol OP?

Giving up drinking made a huge difference to me. I was drinking a glass or two of wine three or four times a week, so not loads, but the difference in my face is disproportionate to the amount I was drinking.

That and all the other good stuff - drinking water, early nights, good food really make a difference now I'm in my 60s.

I’m 58 and can empathise. My mum had a facelift in her 70s and I’m a complete convert but sadly don’t have the spare cash 🤷🏻‍♀️

Another question….have you lost weight recently? Weight loss (especially sudden) can result in a ‘sagging’ face. It’s so cruel when this happens as a result of trying to be healthy

I remember my mum saying that your 50s is the decade that you really start to age. Can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I think it’s pretty normal.

Thanks for your messages. I do drink...probably 1 glass a night x 3 or 4 nights a week. I'm going to have to stop aren't I? 🙁

Sadly I haven't lost weight recently. It has been creeping up and ideally I need to lose a stone. I'm now really scared that it will make me look worse!

What has changed is that my hrt (which I've been on for about 4 years) has just been doubled. Could this be a side effect?

Do you mean actually dropped? If so you need to be assessed for Bells Palsy or a stroke.

I'm 52 rarely drink and this has happened to me, especially the lines either side of my mouth, where did they come from! I think my eyes aren't as bright and my teeth aren't as white. I've thought about giving up dying my hair but I think I'll look all one colour.

Yep, just turned 55….jowls, sag and look knackered most of the time. Do have a bit of Botox which helps slightly but yes to dull eyes that never look very white. Looked great turning 50 even though I say that myself, but the aging process has accelerated! Flabbier as well, but not doing much to address that tbh.
However, when I hear and read about horrible things people our age are enduring with chronic or terminal illness, it does make me think ‘stop being a vain twat!‘ Also can’t lie that it doesn’t get me down occasionally….

Out of curiosity op, are you a side, front or back sleeper? And what is you salt intake like?

I'm a side sleeper. My salt intake is low about 90% of the time but then I'll hit the crisps and go mad. Do you think these two things make a difference?

I’ve read before that ageing isn’t linear, so you might look very similar for a while and then suddenly overnight things change dramatically.

I suppose we go through ageing spurts just like kids go through growth spurts. After my father died, I seemed to age a few years overnight.

Unfortunately, short of surgery there’s not that much that can reverse excess or sagging skin. There are certain treatments like radiofrequency or Ultherapy, which might help tighten things a bit, but are expensive and need to be done regularly, plus the results would be mild to moderate.

You can try and embrace it by focusing on health and wellness and other things like good skincare to give you a glow. Or wearing turtlenecks.

Personally, I will definitely be getting a facelift when the time comes. Jowls run in my family, and while I don’t mind a few wrinkles, I don’t much fancy my face hanging halfway down my neck.